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Unholier Than Thou Anthology

A project of Wicked Shadow Press (see other related projects).

Permanently Closed: This project is permanently closed to submissions (September 2025). We provide the following information as an archive.

About

Unholier Than Thou seeks tales that explore the dark side of faith, belief and the devilish unknown. Religion, born of fear, is a wellspring of horror rituals. Miracles, martyrs, relics, runes, and revelations can all harbor something terrifying for even modern minds, which are far from fearless . We want stories that wrestle with the holy and the horrific, the divine and the damned; stories rooted in faith, ritual or devotion gone wrong. Think cursed relics, fallen angels, corrupt prophets, sinister cults, miracles with a price, holy places that hide unholy truths.

Feel free to come up with your own storyline or get started with one of our WRITING PROMPTS:

  • Mr. Roy is a lifelong skeptic, but when his terminally ill son is miraculously saved by holy water from the shrine of an ancient Goddess, he begins to wonder if there's something more to placebos.
  • The mysterious tribal chant was supposed to bring peace, solace, enlightenment. Instead, it sends Matthew down a rabbit hole of dark realisations.
  • The Pir Sahab believes Ahmed is under the influence of a djinn, while the young village doctor insists that he suffering from some kind of mental illness.
  • A nun fleeing religious persecution takes shelter in an abandoned hut with an altar for some strange God. When the lustful liberators find the woman, she has already transformed into something unholy.
  • A spate of possession cases in the same district sends the investigating bishop down a wicked path of epiphany as he begins to realise God's plan and the Devil's are one and the same.
  • A Hindu village priest is labeled inauspicious and is rendered jobless after marriages performed by him inevitably end with the unnatural death of a spouse within a matter of weeks.

Country of Publication & Year Established

India
Established in 2025

Publication Medium & Frequency

Electronic Publication Electronic Publication
One-time publication

Fiction Closed

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience.

Genres:

Horror Open to all/most Subgenres

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: 100 - 1,000 words; Up to 2 pieces.
Short Story: 1,000 - 1,500 words; Up to 2 pieces.
Short Story: 1,500 - 7,500 words.
Novelette: 7,500 - 8,000 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream.

Topics:

Folklore/Mythology: See guidelines.
Religion/Spirituality: See guidelines.
Other: See guidelines.

Payment:

No monetary payment No monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Email.
Reprints: Reprints are allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Multiple entries: Multiple entries are NOT allowed.
Media: Text.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.

No recent cover image available for Unholier Than Thou Anthology

Go to project webpage

Report:
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Unholier Than Thou Anthology Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

Filter:
Accuracy
We have received 3 reports from 3 different members within the past 12 months. The more responses reported, the more accurate the information.
Days Reported
43 min | 51.7 mean avg | 54.0 median | 58 max days (6.3 std dev)

Other Information

The editors will try to make a decision within 30 days. (100.0 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 30 days.)
Most recent response reported was received on 07 Nov 2025.
Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 13 Sep 2025.
Date compiled: 16 Sep 2026 22:04 UTC (less than a minute ago).

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Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

  • Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
  • Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
  • Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
  • Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 22 May 2026

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